02/02/17: Hoover Public Library • Birmingham, AL: Pretty awesome that we have a library that books far out stuff like this. Millevoi is a Philadelphia based guitarist whose stuff is like if free jazz and Neil Young's Crazy Horse got together to do a Tarantino soundtrack.

•

ANGEL OLSEN

02/03/17: Saturn • Birmingham, AL: This show was stellar. I'm not super crazy about her newest album, but the songs worked way better in a live setting. Old stuff completely kills. Weird fun fact: Millevoi (above) replaced Angel Olsen's guitarist in Chris Forsyth's Solar Motel Band.

•

HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER

02/07/17: Saturn • Birmingham, AL: I'm a latecomer to his music, but it makes way more sense live than on record IMO. I suggest starting with the album "Bad Debt" and exploring from there.

•

THE NECKS

02/28/17: Bijou Theatre • Knoxville, TN: Literally one of the best shows I've ever been to. First time seeing those guys and I hope to get to see them many more times. Two songs. Two hours of improv. My jaw is still on the floor.

•

EMMA RUTH RUNDLE

03/06/17: Saturn • Birmingham, AL: She was so great. Love music that has huge shifts from quiet and pretty to loud and harsh. Her set was filmed for a TV show too so that's kind of cool.

•

DEAFHEAVEN

03/06/17: Saturn • Birmingham, AL: Why no one previously thought to blend shoegaze and black metal is beyond me. Just makes so much sense when you hear it. And they are soooooooo loud.

•

SLEIGH BELLS

03/07/17: Saturn • Birmingham, AL: I saw them five years ago or so and had a great time. Was pretty bored this time around to be honest. I was glad to be out with my friends, but the performance just didn't do much for me.

•

JULIEN BAKER

03/10/17: Saturn • Birmingham, AL: She's amazing. One of those rare, great nights where the crowd and the performer are totally dialed in and synced up.

•

MARY LATTIMORE

03/19/17: Saturn • Birmingham, AL: Harp run through all sorts of effects and looped. I love innovative artists. This is one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time. I love that musicians just keep pushing.

•

KEVIN MORBY

03/19/17: Saturn • Birmingham, AL: Was thoroughly surprised by how much I enjoyed his set. I dig the newest record (Singing Saw) and all, but I wasn't expecting to be moved. It was an A+ night of music.

•

CARLA BLEY

03/23/17: Tennessee Theatre • Knoxville, TN: Jazz pianist playing with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. Would've much rather heard her solo or with a small ensemble.

03/23/17: Bijou Theatre • Knoxville, TN: Haven't seen her live in years and it was interesting hearing her in the power trio format. She played a ton of new/unreleased stuff. Should be a stellar new album.

•

BLONDE REDHEAD

03/23/17: The Mill & Mine • Knoxville, TN: A last minute decision to go see them instead of sleeping proved wise. They were backed by the American Contemporary Music Ensemble for most of the show.

•

SHANE PARISH

03/24/17: The Standard • Knoxville, TN: Acoustic guitar weirdness.

•

JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON

03/24/17: The Mill & Mine • Knoxville, TN: Icelandic composer performed his work "Drone Mass" with a chamber orchestra and choir. Seriously good stuff.

•

MICHAEL HURLEY

03/24/17: Tennessee Theatre • Knoxville, TN: Folk singer that I probably would've skipped over (he was quite good though) except for the fact that I was staking out a spot for....

•

WILCO

03/24/17: Tennessee Theatre • Knoxville, TN: Haven't seen these guys in a while and I was way into it. Wish they came around more to this part of the country.

•

TORTOISE

03/24/17: The Mill & Mine • Knoxville, TN: Closed the day out with an amazing late night set from Tortoise.

03/25/17: The Mill & Mine • Knoxville, TN: Saxophonist Colin Stetson reworked composer Henryk Górecki's 3rd symphony from an orchestral work into a piece for multiple saxes, strings, guitar, drums, etc. I still prefer the original, but he did a masterful job on it.

•

JESSICA MOSS

03/25/17: The Standard • Knoxville, TN: Violinist from A Silver Mt. Zion doing a solo set. I had no idea she even did solo stuff. It was really cool.

03/25/17: The Mill & Mine • Knoxville, TN: She's amazing. She does all of this super trippy, but really accessible and beautiful modular synth stuff. I saw her open for Animal Collective last year. She's one of my favorite recent(ish) discoveries.

•

DEERHOOF

03/25/17: The Mill & Mine • Knoxville, TN: Was planning on skipping this show (started at midnight), but LOL that wasn't gonna happen. I wasn't super familiar with them, but I really enjoyed it.

•

THE MAGNETIC FIELDS

03/26/17: Tennessee Theatre • Knoxville, TN: They were performing the new 50 Song Memoir in its entirety (25 songs per day.) Songs 1-25 conflicted with too much else I wanted to see, but parts 26-50 were great.

•

OLIVER COATES

03/26/17: The Mill & Mine • Knoxville, TN: Cellist who played on Radiohead's latest album. He played modern works by the likes of Xenakis, Messiaen, etc. Really great.